Maria Christina of Savoy
Maria Christina Carlotta Giuseppa Gaetana Efisia of Savoy (born November 14, 1812 in Cagliari , † January 31, 1836 in Naples ) is a blessed woman and was princess of Sardinia and Savoy and, by marriage, queen of both Sicilies .
Life
Maria Christina was born as the youngest daughter of King Victor Emanuel I of Sardinia-Piedmont and his wife Maria Theresa of Austria-Este in Cagliari on Sardinia. She was very religious and was brought up at the court of Turin , the royal seat of the Kingdom of Sardinia. The Fort Marie-Christine is named after her.
In the holy year 1825, the thirteen-year-old princess made a pilgrimage to Rome , where she kept a diary that testifies to her deep piety. In the local pilgrim hospice Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini , she washed the feet of ordinary pilgrims and served them. She is still very venerated in the Catholic Church.
On November 21, 1832, she was married to King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies . Maria Cristina never managed to settle in at the Neapolitan court, and there were also serious differences in character between her and her husband. She was constantly ailing, which she patiently endured with her piety. She was popular with her subjects for her modesty and humility. The couple had only one son, the heir to the throne and later the last Neapolitan King Francis II. Only 15 days after the birth of their son, the weakened Maria Christina died. Her son was brought up in cult memory of his mother and spoke of her as the "Regina Santa" ("Holy Queen").
King Ferdinand married a second time twelve months later, the Austrian Archduchess Maria Theresa . However, he pushed ahead with the process of beatification of his first wife. On July 10, 1859 her was by Pope Pius IX. the heroic degree of virtue awarded as the first step; since then Maria Cristina can be called " worthy of admiration ". On May 2nd, 2013 Pope Francis recognized a miracle worked by Maria Christina, so that nothing stands in the way of her beatification. Her beatification took place on January 25, 2014 in the Basilica of Santa Chiara in Naples.
The only daughter of King Francis II was born in exile and baptized in the name of her grandmother, but only lived a few months.
literature
- Arrigo Petacco : La regina del sud . Mondadori , Milan 1992, ISBN 88-04-43391-4 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ From Throne to Altar : Report of May 3, 2013 on the recognition of the miracles of several beatification candidates by Pope Francis
Web links
| predecessor | Office | Successor |
|---|---|---|
| Maria Isabel of Spain | Queen of the Two Sicilies 1832–1836 |
Maria Theresa of Austria |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Maria Christina of Savoy |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Princess of Sardinia and Savoy and Queen of both Sicilies |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 14, 1812 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Cagliari |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 31, 1836 |
| Place of death | Naples |